Pasting rollers for splicing rollstand



W. F. HUCK Nov. 21, 1967 PASTING ROLLERS FOR SPLICING ROLLSTAND Filed Sept. 7, 1965 I NVEN TOR.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WILLIAM F. HUCK 7 ATTORNEY Nov. 21, 1967 w. F. HUCK 3,353,765

PASTING ROLLERS FOR SPLICING ROLLSTAND Filed Sept. 7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

' INVENTOR. WILLIAM F. HUCK ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,353,765 PASTING ROLLERS FOR SPLIClNG ROLLSTAND William F. Huck, 81 Greenway Terrace, Forest Hills, NY. 11375 Filed Sept. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 485,335 13 Claims. (Cl. 242-583) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A rollstand mechanism for splicing an unwinding web to a new web roll makes use of roller means, driven by belt means by which the web is being unwound, for pressing the web against the periphery of the new roll so as to avoid disturbance of the web tension during splicing; the roller means are circumferentially recessed to receive the belt means as a part of their working surface; they include several roller units having soft elastic bodies, which are aligned end-to-end, individually supported and yieldably urged toward the new roll for conformance to irregularities of its surface.

This invention relates generally to rollstands in which a web being delivered or unwound from a web supply roll about to expire is spliced to the leading end of the web forming a new web supply roll so that web material can be continuously delivered from one web supply roll after another, for example, to a printing press or other web processing machine.

In existing splicing rollstands, for example, as disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,103,320 issued Sept. 10, 1963 to William F. Huck, support means which may be in the form of reel arms carry a first web roll from which the web is being unwound and a second or new web roll to the periphery of which the web from the first roll is to be spliced when the supply of web material on the first roll is about to expire. When splicing is to be effected, the reel arms are turned to move the new web roll from a loading position to a splicing position adjacent a run of the web being unwound from the first or expiring roll and the latter roll is simultaneously moved from a normal running position to an expiring position. Unwinding of the web from the first or expiring roll is effected by at least one drive belt having an active run thereof guided so as to be in driving engagement with the periphery of the first roll at both the normal running and expiring positions. When disposed at the splicing position, the new web roll is rotated about its own axis so as to match its peripheral speed to the speed of movement of the adjacent expiring web run, whereupon a splicing assembly is actuated to press the expiring web run against adhesive previously applied to the periphery of the new roll for forming a splice therebetween, and then to sever the web run behind such splice.

Following the splicing, the reel arms are further turned to move the new web roll from the splicing position to the normal running position where it is engaged and driven by the main drive belt or belts for continuing the unwinding of the web therefrom. Such further turning of the reel arms also moves the expired web roll to the loading position at which it can be removed from the reel arms and replaced by the next new web supply roll.

In existing rollstands of the type described above, the web run extending from the expiring roll is pressed against the periphery of the new web roll at splicing position by means of pasting pressure brushes. While such brushes will press the web run uniformly against the adhesive on the periphery of the new roll at the regions of their contact with the web run, they are disadvantageous in that they frictionally brake the movement of the web run and thus disturb or vary the web tension. When the 3,353,765 Patented Nov. 21, 1967 ice web is running at a relatively slow speed, the pasting brushes may need to exert only a relatively moderate pressure in order to form the required splice. At relatively higher web speeds, the pressure exerted by the brushes must be increased, and the increased pressure accentuates the web tension disturbance resulting from the frictional braking effect, and also causes wrinkling of the web and accelerates wear of the brushes.

It is further to be noted that in existing splicing rollstands of the described type, the pasting brushes are spaced apart laterally so as to be movable toward and away from the expiring web run through spaces between the active runs of the drive belts. Since such laterally spaced brushes can press the expiring web run against the new web roll only at correspondingly spaced regions of the web run, they have a troublesome tendency to cause wrinkling of the web.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a splicing rollstand in which a run of the web being unwound from an expiring web supply roll and the periphery of a new web supply roll are pressed together to form a splice joining the same without braking the movement of the web run, thereby to avoid undue disturbance of the web tension during the splicing operation.

Another object is to provide a splicing rollstand in which the pressing together of the unwinding web run and the periphery of the new roll is effected uniformly across practically the entire width of the web so as to avoid wrinkling of the web.

According to the present invention, a splicing rollstand having means for supporting a new web supply roll adjacent to a run of a web which is being unwound from an expiring web supply roll, and which is to be spliced to the periphery of the new roll, is provided with means including a web positioning surface at the side of the unwinding web run away from the new roll for pressing together the unwinding web run and the periphery of the new roll along a region of contact extending parallel to the axis of the new roll, to form a splice joining the same, and with means for moving the web positioning surface in the direction of movement of the unwinding web run in the said region and at substantially the speed of such movement as the unwinding web run and the new roll are pressed together, whereby the web run is spliced to the new roll without being braked by the pressure of the web positioning surface.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the means for pressing together the unwinding web run and the periphery of the new roll include at least one pressing roller extending generally parallel to the axis of the new roll, and the means for moving the Web positioning surface includes at least one drive belt in driving engagement with the pressing roller to eflect rotation thereof.

According to another feature of the invention, the drive belt for rotating each pressing roller is received in a circumferential recess of the roller at the side of the roller facing the unwinding web run, so that the web positioning surface is defined in part by the surface of the belt in the recess of the respective roller and in part by the unrecessed surface of the roller.

Further, the belt for rotating each pressing roller is advantageously one of the main drive belts which engage the expiring roll for unwinding the web therefrom, whereby the speed of. movement of the web positioning surface will always be substantially equal to the speed of movement of the unwinding Web.

According to another feature of the invention, the means for pressing together the unwinding web run and the periphery of the new roll include a plurality of such pressing rollers arranged axially end-to-end and supported at their ends by individually movable support members which are yieldably urged to displace the rollers in the direction toward the new roll, so that the several rollers can tilt relative to each other for conforming to surface irregularities of the new web supply roll. Each roller, furthermore, is provided with a compressible elastic body for conforming to surface irregularities of the new roll.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of a splicing rollstand embodying the invention, and being shown with the near side frame member removed for clarity;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, transverse sectional view taken along the line 22 on FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 on FIG. 2.

Considerable simplification has been effected in the several views of the drawings in order not to obscure the novel features characteristic of the invention with details of conventional parts well known to those skilled in the art.

Referring to FIG. 1 in detail, it will be seen that, in the splicing rollstand to which the invention is there shown to be applied, vertical side frame members 11 rotatably support the ends of a horizontal shaft 12 carrying reel or spider arms 13. The successive web supply rolls from which web material is to be continuously delivered are rotatably supported between the ends of arms 13, and shaft 12 is suitably turned, for example, by operation of a motor (not shown), so as to move or index each web roll through several hereinafter mentioned positions.

During normal running of rollstand 1t), reel arms 13 are disposed in the position shown in broken lines on FIG. 1 and the web W is unwound from a web supply roll Ia positioned at a normal running position R by the related ends of the reel arms. The web W unwound from web supply roll Ia passes upwardly around an idler roller 14 journaled in side frame members 11 and then travels toward the left, as viewed on FIG. 1, so as to pass over a floating roller 15. The roller 15 may form part of a variable speed drive mechanism D (shown in broken lines on FIG. 1) which can be of the type disclosed in detail in U.S. Patent N0. 3,103,320, identified more fully above, and which acts as a web tension control device by suitably varying the drive ratio between cross shafts 16 and 17 journaled in side frame members 11. Shaft 16 is suitably driven from the printing press or other web processing machine (not shown) to which the rollstand continuously delivers web material. Shaft 17 has several, for example, eight, axially spaced drive pulleys 18 secured thereon, and each drive pulley 18 is in driving engagement with a respective main unwinding or drive belt 19.

Each drive belt 19 travels downwardly toward the left, as viewed On FIG. 1, from its drive pulley 18 and passes successively around idler pulleys 20 and 21, a takeup pulley 22, and idler pulleys 23 and 24. The several idler pulleys 20, 21, 23 and 24 are freely rotatable on shafts having their ends journaled at fixed locations in frame members 11. As shown, shaft 17 carrying drive pulleys 18 is arranged slightly below and in back of roller 14, and the shaft carrying idler pulleys 24 is disposed below shaft 17 so that a run B of each drive belt 19 moving upwardly from the respective idler pulley 24 to drive pulley 18, and being shown in full and broken lines in two different positions on FIG. 1, is frictionally engageable with web roll Ia when that roll is in the normal running position R, and also when reel arms 13 are turned so as to dispose roll la in the expiring position E indicated in full lines on FIG. 1. Take-up pulleys 22 are rotatable on a shaft having its ends journaled in bearing blocks 25 which are urged upwardly by fluid pressure operated cylinders 26 so that pulleys 22 are effective to maintain a desired t sio i @6 1 1% a the length of each drive belt included in its run 5,. engaging web roll la is varied by reduction of the diameter of that roll and by movement of reel arms 13.

As disclosed in detail in US. Patent No. 3,103,320, which is identified more fully above, the variable speed drive mechanism D provided between shafts 16 and 17 functions, in response to variations in the tension of the web W acting on floating roller 15, to suitably vary the rotational speed of shaft 17 carrying drive pulleys 18, and hence to vary the speed of belts 19 and the speed at which such belts unwind the web W from roll la, in the sense for restoring a desired tension in the web.

When a web roll Ia held between ends of reel arms 13 is disposed at the normal running position R and the web is being unwound therefrom, as described above, the opposite ends of the reel arms are disposed at a loading position L so as to receive a new web roll. After a substantial proportion of the web on roll In at the normal running position R has been unwound therefrom and the splicing operations of the rollstand are to be initiated, reel arms 13 are suitably turned in the counterclockwise direction, as viewed on FIG. 1, for moving the new web supply roll Ib to a splicing position S and simultaneously moving the expiring web roll Ia to expiring position E. It will be seen that the run of web W being unwound from roll Ia, and which is guided by idler roller 14, is adjacent to the periphery of the new web roll 1b at splicing position S, and that the belt runs B travel at the same speed and in the same direction as the unwinding web run at the side of the latter away from the new web roll.

The rollstand 10 is further shown to include an accelerating device 27 comprising at least one accelerating belt 28 which engages and is driven by a drive pulley 219 on a shaft 30 journaled in side frame members 11. Arms 31 constituting a frame of accelerating device 27 are suitably supported for rocking about the axis of shaft 31 to permit movement of the accelerating device between its operative position shown on FIG. 1 and a raised inoperative position. A shaft 32 rotatably supported by the outer or free ends of arms 31 carries an idler roller 33 around which accelerating belt 28 passes so that a substantial length of the lower run of belt 28 between drive pulley 29 and idler pulley 33 can be moved against and frictionally contact the periphery of new web roll 111 at splicing position S when the accelerating device is in its operative position. The return run of belt 28 passes over an idler pulley 24 journaled in arms 31 and then over a tensioning pulley 35 which is journaled between arms 36 pivotally carried by extensions 37 of arms 31. Tensioning pulley 35 is urged against belt 28 by means of fluid pressure operated cylinders 38 pivotally carried by arms 31.

Shaft 30, and hence drive pulley 29, are driven from shaft 17 by means of a belt and pulley transmission D shown in broken lines on FIG. 1. When accelerating device 27 is moved to its illustrated operative position so as to have its belt 28 frictionally contacted with the periphery of new web roll Ib at splicing position S, transmission D causes belt 28 to accelerate the new web roll up to a peripheral speed equal to the linear speed of movement of the web W being unwound from expiring web r011 Ia by main drive belts 19.

In order to effect the movement of acceelrating device 27 between its raised inoperative position and the illustrated operative position, extensions 37 of arms 31 are pivotally connected to forked ends of piston rods 38 extending from cylinders 39 which are pivotally supported by adjacent side frame members 11.

After the new web roll at splicing position S has been accelerated up to a peripheral speed equal to the speed of movement of the adjacent unwinding or expiring web run, such unwinding web run and the periphery of new web roll Ib are pressed together along a region of contact extending parallel to the axis of roll Ib so as to form a splice joining the same by adhesive previously applied to the periphery of the new roll. Immediately after the unwinding or expiring web run is spliced to the new roll, the expiring web run is severed in back of the splice, that is, at a location between the splice and expiring roll la, whereupon the delivery of web material continues without interruption from the new web roll. Following the foregoing splicing and Web severing operations, reel arms 13 are turned to dispose the new web roll Ib at normal running position R were it is engaged by drive belts 19 and to dispose the expired roll Ia at loading position L where it can be removed from the reel arms and replaced by the next new web supply roll.

The above described rollstand is merely illustrative of arrangements in which the present invention can be employed for improving the splicing of the expiring web run to the periphery of a new web supply roll. In accordance with this invention, the Web run being unwound from the expiring roll in is spliced to the periphery of the new web roll Ib at splicing position S by a splicing assembly 40 that provides a web positioning surface at the side of the expiring web run facing away from the new roll for pressing together the expiring web run and the periphery of the new roll along a region of contact extending parallel to the axis of the new roll, and such web positioning surface is moved in the direction of movement of the unwinding web run in the region of contact, and at substantially the speed of movement of the web run, as the expiring web run and the new roll are pressed together.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, splicing assembly 40 (FIGS. 2 and 3) includes support arms 41 secured to a shaft 42 which is journaled in side frame members 11. Arms 41 depend from shaft 42 and are laterally located between main drive belts 19 and at the outside of the outermost drive belts so that the lower end portions of the arms, which may be forked, as shown, can swing toward and away from the expiring web run in response to turning of shaft 42. If there are eight drive belts 19, as in the example being described, nine support arms 41 are provided.

The forked lower end portion of each arm 41 carriers a lateral shaft 43. A bell-crank or bent lever 44 is rockably mounted on shaft 43 between the sides of the forked end portion of the arm and includes an upwardly directed arm 44a and a rearwardly directed arm 44b (FIG. 3). Arms 44a of bell-cranks 44 carry anti-friction bearings 45 (FIG. 2) which support the ends of freely rotatable shafts 46 extending laterally between the several arms 41.

Each shaft 46 carries a pressing roller 47 having a cylindrical body of relatively soft rubber or other elastically compressible material. As shown particularly on FIG. 2, the several rollers 47 are arranged axially in end-to end relation with only narrow gaps therebetween to accommodate the arms 44a of bell-cranks 44. The number of rollers 47 is equal to the number of drive belts 19,

and each roller 47 is laterally located so as to be centered with respect to the related drive belt. Further, each roller 47 has a circumferential recess 48 which is laterally located and dimensioned to receive the run B of the related drive belt 19. Each recess 48 has a depth substantially equal to the thickness of the related drive belt 19.

Thus, when belt runs B, are received in recesses 48 of roller 47 and splicing assembly 41) is actuated, as hereinafter described, to displace rollers 47 to the position indicated at 47 on FIG. 3 and thereby press the expiring web run against the adjacent periphery of new roll Ib, the web positioning surface provided by splicing assembly 40 is defined in part by the surfaces of belt runs B received in recesses 48 and in part by the unrecesseld surfaces of roller 47 flanking the drive belts. The over all length of the axially arranged series of rollers 47 is at least as large as the width of the web material being delivered from the rollstand so that, when splicing assembly 40 is actuated, the region of contact of belts 19 and rollers 47 with the expiring web run extends completely across the latter practically without interruption.

Prior to actuation of splice assembly 40, each bellcrank 44 is held in the position shown on FIG. 3 by a latch 49 pivoted on a pin 50 extending through the forked end portion of the related arm 41 and engageable with a latch pin 51 (shown in broken lines on FIG. 3) extending from arm 44b of the bell-crank. A spring 52 is connected between latch 49 and an anchor 53 secured to arm 41 to urge the latch into engagement with latch pin 51. A cable 54 extends from latch 49 so that an upward pull on cable 54 rocks latch 49 in opposition to spring 52 and thereby releases latch pin 51. Release of latch 49 from pin 51 firees bell-crank 44 for rocking in the counter-clockwise direction, as viewed on FIG. 3, by a tension spring 55 extending between pin 56 on arm 44b and a pin 57 carried by support arm 41.

The ends of each shaft 43 pivotally support a depending bracket 58 carrying a knife 59. A latch assembly (not shown) may be similarly provided for holding each knife 59 in the position shown in full lines on FIG. 3, and such latch assembly may be released, when an upward pull is exerted on a cable 60 (FIG. 2), to permit the spring-urged movement of bracket 58 for projecting knife 59'to its operative or cutting position indicated in broken lines at 59 on FIG. 3.

Each cable 54 is connected, at its upper end, to an arm 61 extending from a lateral shaft 62 journaled in the upper portions of arms 41. Similarly, each cable 60 has its upper end connected to an arm 63 extending from a lateral shaft 64 which also journaled in the upper portions of arms 41 below shaft 62. Arms 65 and 66 (FIG. 2) extend from ends of shafts 62 and 64, respectively, and are pivotally connected to piston rods 67 land 68 extending from cylinders 69 and 70 mounted on brackets 71 arid 72 secured to shaft 42. Flexible conduits or hoses 73 and 74 extend to cylinders 69 and 70, respectively, for supplying fluid under pressure thereto.

It will be apparent that each latch 49 is released to permit rollers 47 to act or press against the expiring web run when fluid under pressure is supplied to cylinder 69, and that each latch associated with each knife-carrying bracket 53 is released to permit knives 59 to cut the expiring web run when fluid under pressure is sup plied to cylinder 70.

As shown particularly on FIGS. 1 and 2, splicing assembly 40 further includes an actuating arm 75 extending from shaft 42 substantially parallel to support arms 41 and being located adjacent one of the slide frame members 11. The lower end portion of arm 75 is pivotally connected at 76 to a piston rod 77 extending from a double-acting, fluid-pressure operated cylinder 78 which is pivotally supported by the adjacent frame member, as at 79 (FIG. 1). Flexible conduits or hoses S0 and 81 extend to the opposite ends of cylinder 78 for alternately supplying fluid under pressure thereto.

It will be apparent that, when fluid under pressure is supplied to cylinder 78 through conduit 80, piston rod 77 is retracted to swing splicing assembly 40 rearwardly or away from the web run traveling upwardly to idler roller 14 to a rest or stored position of the splicing assembly indicated in broken lines at 40 on FIG. 1. During such rearward swinging of splicing assembly 4t), fixed cams (not shown) carried by the rollstand frame may engage a cam follower roller or .pin 82 (FIG. 3) extending from each bell-crank 44 for returning the latter to its latched position. Similarly, during rearward swinging of splicing assembly 40, fixed cams (not shown) may return each knife-carrying bracket 58 to its latched position.

When fluid under pressure is admitted to cylinder 78 by way of conduit 81, piston rod 77 is extended and thereby moves splice assembly 40 to its working position adjacent the expiring web run, as shown in full lines on FIG. 1. Such movement of splicing assembly 40 to its working position is effected either during movement of new web roll Ib to splicing position or after the new roll arrives at splicing position. When splicing assembly 40 is moved to its working position, each pressing oller 47 is displaced into engagement with the related belt 19, as shown on FIGS. 1 and 3, and is thereby rotatably driven at a peripheral speed substantially equal to the speed of movement of the adjacent expiring Web run.

While roliers 47 are being rotated, as indicated above, fluid under pressure is suitably supplied through conduit 73 to cylinder 69 so as to release latches 49 and thereby permit springs 55 to rock bell-cranks 44 in the direction moving rollers 4-7 toward the periphery of new web roll Ib. By reason of such movement of rollers 47, the expiring web run is pressed against the periphery of the new web roll by the surfaces of drive belts 19 received in recesses 48 of rollers 47 and by the unrecessed surfaces of rollers 47 flanking the drive belts. Since drive belts 19 and the surfaces of rollers 47 are moving at a speed equal to the speed of movement of the expiring web run, the latter is pressed against the periphery of the new web roll without being braked by the pressure of the belts i9 and the rollers 47. Thus, substantial pressures can be applied by belts 19 and rollers 47 to ensure adequate adherence of the expiring web to the adhesive on the periphery of the new roll, even when the web is being delivered at a high speed, without unduly disturbing the web tension.

As is apparent on FIG. 2, the radial thickness of the rubber body of each pressing roller 47 is substantially greater than the depth of its recess 48 so that each belt 19 is backed-up by the elastically compressible material of the roller in the region when the belt presses the ex piring web run against the new roll. Thus, the surfaces of belts 19 and of rollers 47 bearing against the expiring web run to press the latter against the periphery of new roll lb can conform to surface irregularities of the new roll. Further, since the bell-cranks 44 which support the ends of rollers 47 are individually acted upon by the related springs 55 during the pressing of the expiring web run against the new roll, such bell-cranks can deflect angularly relative to each other to permit slight relative tilting or canting of the rollers 4? for additionally conforming to surface irregularities of the new roll.

In view of the foregoing, the belts 19 and rollers 47 can apply uniform pressure for adhering the expiring web run to the periphery of the new web roll across the entire axial width of the latter even when the new roll has been irregularly wound.

Since the rollers 47 have only small axial gaps therebetween, the web positioning surface defined in part by surfaces of belts 19 received in recesses 48 of rollers 47 and in part by the unrecessed surfaces of rollers 47 is engageable with the expiring web run, practically without interruption, across the entire width thereof, and thus can exert substantial pressures without causing wrinkling of the web.

After the expiring web run has been spliced to the periphery of the new web roll, as described above, fluid under pressure is suitably supplied through conduit 74 to cylinder 7 for releasing the latches associated with knives 59, whereby the knives cut the expiring web in back of the splice. Thereafter, as previously described, reel arms 13 are turned to move new web roll Ib to normal running position R. During such movement, fluid under pressure is supplied through conduit 80 to cylinder 7 8 so that splicing assembly 46 is returned to its stored or rest position 40'. The movement of the splicing assembly to its stored position, disengages its rollers 47 from belts 19 so that the latter can engage the periphery of the new roll moved to normal running position R.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, and that various changes and modifications may be effected 8 therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

i. In a splicing rollstand for delivering a web continuously from one supply rol-l after another, including means for supporting a new web supply roll adjacent to a run of a web which is being unwound from an expiring web supply roll and is to be spliced to the periphery of the new roll,

the combination of means including a web positioning surface at the side of said web run away from said new roll for pressing together said web run and said periphery along a region of contact extending parallel to the axis of said new roll, to form a splice joining the same, and

means for moving said surface in the direction of movement of the unwinding web run in said region, and at substantially the speed of such movement, as said web run and said new roll are pressed together, whereby said web run is spliced to the new roll without being braked by the pressure of said web positioning surface,

wherein said means for pressing together said web run and said periphery of the new roll incluces at least one roller extending generally parallel to the axis of said new roll, said means for moving the web positioning surface includes at least one drive belt in driving engagement with said roller to effect rotation thereof, and

said roller has a circumferential recess to receive said drive belt at the side of said roller facing toward said web run so that at least a portion of said web positioning surface is defined by the drive belt in said recess.

2. In a splicing rollstand for delivering a web continuously from one supply roll after another, including means for supporting a new web supply roll adjacent to a run of a web which is being unwound from an expiring web supply roll and is to be spliced to the periphery of the new roll,

the combination of means including a web positioning surface at the side of said web run away from said new roll for pressing together said web run and said periphery along a region of contact extending parallel to the axis of said new roll, to form a splice joining the same, and

means for moving said surface in the direction of movement of the unwinding web run in said region, and at substantially the speed of such movement, as said web run and said new roll are pressed together, whereby said web run is spliced to the new roll without being braked by the pressure of said web positioning surface,

wherein said means for pressing together said web run and said periphery of the new roll includes at least one belt having a run extending generally in the direction of said web run, and means to deflect said belt run toward said new roll for contact with said web run at said region.

3. A splicing rollstand according to claim 2; wherein said means to deflect said belt run toward the new roll includes at least one roller extending generally parallel to said new roll and being bodily displaceable against said belt run in the direction toward the new web roll.

4. A splicing rollstand according to claim 3; wherein said roller is of an axial length greater than the width of said belt and has a circumferential recess dimensioned to receive said belt run when the roller is displaced thereagainst, so that said web positioning surface is defined in part by the surface of said belt run received in said recess and in part by the unrecessed surface of said roller.

5. In a splicing rollstand for delivering a web continuously from one supply roll after another, including means for supporting a new web supply roll adjacent to a run of a web which is being unwound from an expiring web supply roll and is to be spliced to the periphery of the new roll,

the combination of means including a web positioning surface at the side of said web run away from said new roll for pressing together said web run and said periphery along a region of contact extending parallel to the axis of said new roll, to form a splice joining the same, and

means for moving said surface in the direction of movement of the unwinding web run in said region, and at substantially the speed of such movement, as said run and said new roll are pressed together, whereby said web run is spliced to the new roll without being braked by the pressure of said web positioning surface,

wherein said means for pressing together said web run and said periphery of the new roll includes at least one roller extending generally parallel to the axis of said new roll and having a soft compressible elastic cylindrical body defining at least a part of said web positioning surface and being adapted to conform to surface irregularities of said new roll, and

wherein said elastic cylindrical body has a circumferential recess, and said means for moving the web positioning surface includes at least one drive belt received in said recess at the side of the roller facing toward said web run to effect rotation of said roller and to define another part of said web positioning surface.

6. In a splicing rollstand for delivering a web continuously from one supply roll after another, including means for supporting a new web supply roll adjacent to a run of a web which is being unwound from an expiring web supply roll and is to be spliced to the periphery of the new roll,

the combination of means including a web positioning surface at the side of said web run away from said new roll for pressing together said web run and said periphery along a region of contact extending parallel to the axis of said new roll, to form a splice joining the same, and

means for moving said surface in the direction of movement of the unwinding web run in said region, and at substantially the speed of such movement, as said web run and said new roll are pressed together, whereby said web run is spliced to the new roll with out being braked by the pressure of said web positioning surface,

wherein said means for pressing together said web run and said periphery of the new roll includes a plurality of rollers arranged axially end-to-end generally parallel to the axis of said new roll, individually movable support members carrying said rollers at the ends thereof, and yieldable means to displace said rollers in the direction 1 toward the new web roll, whereby said rollers can tilt relative to each other for conforming to surface irregularities of the new roll.

7. A splicing rollstand according to claim 6; wherein each of said rollers has a soft compressible elastic cylindrical body defining a part of said web positioning surface 10 and being adapted to further conform to surface irregularities of the new roll.

8. A splicing rollstand according to claim 6; wherein said body of each of said rollers has a circumferential recess, and said means for moving the web positioning surface includes a drive belt for each of said rollers received in said recess of the respective roller at the side thereof facing toward said web run to effect rotation of the respective roller and to define another part of said web positioning surface.

9. In a splicing rollstand for delivering a web continuously from one web supply roll after another, including means for supporting a new web roll adjacent to a run of a web extended from an expiring web roll and which is to be spliced to the periphery of the new roll, and

at least one drive belt having a run thereof in driving engagement with said expiring roll to unwind the web therefrom, said belt run traveling at the same speed and in the same direction as said web run at the side of the web run away from said new roll;

a splicing assembly having rotatable pasting roller means movable toward said new roll for pressing said web run against the periphery of said new roll to form a splice joining the same, said pasting roller means extending laterally across said belt run at the side of the belt run away from said web run so that, when said roller means presses the web run against the periphery of the new roll, said belt run engages said roller means and rotates the latter at a peripheral speed substantially equal to said speed of the web run, whereby said web run is spliced to the new roll without being braked by the pressure of said pasting roller means.

10. A splicing rollstand according to claim 9; wherein said pasting'roller means has a circumferential recess for receiving said run of each drive belt, said recess having a depth substantially equal to the thickness of the drive belt so that, when said roller means is moved to press said web run against said new roll, the drive belt received in each said recess of the roller means forms a continuation of the surface of said roller means in contact with the web run.

11. A splicing rollstand according to claim 10; wherein said pasting roller means has an axial extent at least approximately as large as the 'width of said web run so as to be adapted to press said web run against said new roll across the entire width of the web run.

12. A splicing rollstand according to claim 10; wherein said pasting roller means includes a plurality of rollers arranged axially end-to-end generally parallel to the axis of said new roll and being yielda-bly tiltable relative to each other for conforming to surface irregularities of the new roll. 1

13. A splicing rollstand according to claim 12; wherein each of said rollers has an elastically yieldable cylindrical body adapted to further conform to surface irregularities of the new roll.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS LEONARD D. CHRISTIAN, Primary Examiner, 

1. IN A SPLICING ROLLSTAND FOR DELIVERING A WEB CONTINUOUSLY FROM ONE SUPPLY ROLL AFTER ANOTHER, INCLUDING MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A NEW WEB SUPPLY ROLL ADJACENT TO A RUN OF A WEB WHICH IS BEING UNWOUND FROM AN EXPIRING WEB SUPPLY ROLL AND IS TO BE SPLICED TO THE PERIPHERY OF THE NEW ROLL, THE COMBINATION OF MEANS INCLUDING A WEB POSITIONING SURFACE AT THE SIDE OF SAID WEB RUN AWAY FROM SAID NEW ROLL FOR PRESSING TOGETHER SAID WEB RUN AND SAID PERIPHERY ALONG A REGION OF CONTACT EXTENDING PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID NEW ROLL, TO FORM A SPLICE JOINING THE SAME, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID SURFACE IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF THE UNWINDING WEB RUN IN SAID REGION, AND AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE SPEED OF SUCH MOVEMENT, AS SAID WEB RUN AND SAID NEW ROLL ARE PRESSED TOGETHER, WHEREBY SAID WEB RUN IS SPLICED TO THE NEW ROLL WITHOUT BEING BRAKED BY THE PRESSURE OF SAID WEB POSITIONING SURFACE, WHEREIN SAID MEANS FOR PRESSING TOGETHER SAID WEB RUN AND SAID PERIPHERY OF THE NEW ROLL INCLUDES AT LEAST ONE ROLLER EXTENDING GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID NEW ROLL, SAID MEANS FOR MOVING THE WEB POSITIONING SURFACE INCLUDES AT LEAST ONE DRIVE BELT IN DRIVING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ROLLER TO EFFECT ROTATION THEREOF, AND SAID ROLLER HAS A CIRCUMFERENTIAL RECESS TO RECEIVE SAID DRIVE BELT AT THE SIDE OF SAID ROLLER FACING TOWARD SAID WEB RUN SO THAT AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID WEB POSITIONING SURFACE IS DEFINED BY THE DRIVE BELT IN SAID RECESS. 